The MacBook Air is Apple's thinnest and most minimalistic notebook to date. Troubleshooting is fairly straightforward, due to the few number of parts.
MacBook Air won't turn on
Your computer will not boot.
RAM issues
If your computer beeps three times, there is a RAM issue. Unfortunately, the RAM is soldered onto the logic board. Therefore, the logic board must be replaced.
Bad power adapter
If your power adapter is bad, the computer will run off a battery, but it won't charge. The MacBook Air uses a special adapter with an angled connector. If your battery's charge is too low, it will be difficult to diagnose a bad power adapter. The easiest way to test this is to borrow either a battery or power adapter to test in your machine. If you have the same problem with a fully charged battery, you most likely need a new logic board.
Thermal Sensor Issues
If the fans run at high RPMs, but the computer does not boot, there is probably an issue with the thermal sensors.
MacBook Airs house the thermal sensors on the logic board. Therefore, in this instance, the logic board may need to be replaced.
Bad logic board
If the above steps don't fix your problem, replace the logic board. We carry logic boards for the Original, Late 2008, and Mid 2009 models.
Also, 9 beeps on startup indicates a logic board problem. Try contacting your nearest Apple representative to determine if they will fix this problem (be sure to back up your data first!). If not, you must replace the logic board yourself.
Laptop shuts off when I unplug it
As soon as you unplug the computer from a power source, it shuts off
Dead battery
If your battery is dead, the computer will run fine off the power adapter, but will turn off when unplugged. A dead battery can manifest itself in many forms: It may not accept a charge (this particular symptom may also indicate a problem with the logic board), the computer may not recognize the battery, or the battery may be recognized as charged but fail to power your computer when the AC adapter is unplugged. Although Apple claims the battery is non user-replaceable, we show you how!
We offer replacement batteries for Original/Late 2008 and Mid 2009 models.
Flashing question mark on startup
The computer displays the flashing question mark when it can't find a bootable operating system. This could be because your OS is corrupt, the computer doesn't have enough RAM, or your hard drive is failing.
Bad operating system
Try booting off an OS CD. Run Apple's Disk Utility and try to repair the disk. If this fails, reinstall your operating system. If you can, erase the hard drive prior to reinstalling the OS.
Not enough RAM
This is quite rare. If you have insufficient RAM for your computer to boot the operating system, you may get the flashing question mark. Installing more RAM or downgrading to an older operating system will fix this. OS X 10.5 requires 512 MB RAM, and OS X 10.6 requires 1 GB RAM.
Bad hard drive
The hard drive may have been erased, corrupted, or damaged. If the hard drive has been erased, format it as HFS+ and reinstall your operating system back onto it. If it is corrupted or damaged, you need to replace it. Failing hard drives can display intermittent data corruption prior to failing completely. They often gradually get louder and start to click. If your hard drive is making abnormal clicking noises but still works, back up your data immediately and replace the hard drive. The Original version of MacBook Air has a different hard drive connector than the Late 2008 and Mid 2009, so be sure to select the right drive for your machine.
My machine boots, but the display remains dark
Symptoms of this are a dark screen, but everything else seems to be running.
Display
If your screen isn't working, the display is most likely to blame. You must then install a replacement display. If this still doesn't solve your problem, you need a new logic board.
Bluetooth or AirPort problems
Your Bluetooth or AirPort has disappeared
Loose connector cable
There are a variety of symptoms:
- The Bluetooth menu bar icon is grayed out or has an X through it
- The AirPort menu bar icon is grayed out and has an X through it
- The AirPort menu says "Not available"
- AirPort no longer shows up under System Profile
- There's an initial message in system.log that indicates trouble with AirPort
- The diagnostic utility reports no problems
- Running System Profile from the installer disc still shows a missing AirPort
If you're lucky, the fix could be very easy: sometimes the connector cable to the wireless board comes loose.
- Take off the lower case.
- Look at the connector where the cable connects to the logic board. If you're not sure whether it looks loose, it probably is loose. (When it's connected, it's clearly connected.)
- If the connector is loose, press down on it until it clicks tight. You don't need to remove the metal clasp holding it (roughly) in place.
- If that one's not loose, check the other end of the connector cable, on the wireless board. This is less likely to be the problem, since there isn't as much flexing at that point.
- Put the bottom cover back on.
Other problems
Ports/Audio
If you lose USB or audio port functionality, these ports are fortunately a separate part from the logic board. First, replace the port hatch assembly (Original or Late 2008/Mid 2009). If you lose the use of another component of your computer, such as the display, battery, or even power, and replacing the apparently non-working part didn't fix the problem, it is possible that the logic board may need to be replaced (see above).
48 comentarios
If you seek replies to your comments go to Answers!
originalmachead - Contestar
These is very helpfull Thanks a lot it is my first time and I get a lot of information than
i expect.
Thanks
jerusalem - Contestar
macbook air wont open its stuck on loading on guest user. Doesnt matter if i press cancel or try turn it off. Just comes back to the same
Donna C - Contestar
Please post this as a Question - you'll get more/faster replies than posting here in the tip/troubleshooting guide.
originalmachead -
My macbook air won't turn on and continuously displays a flashing question mark.
How do I fix th problem
Maraea - Contestar
After turning on my macbook air the screen lights up but the timer just keeps on running.I turned off and back on a couple of times but that didn't work.What might be wrong.
Pat.
Pat Horgan - Contestar
When you observer that I can’t turn on my MacBook Air then check the power connection of system. change the power code or adapter. If the problem is still same and you lost the data then take help of Mac data recovery software.
To know more
www.macfixz.com
Michael Smith - Contestar
I have a MacBook Air that is a year old. Just starting today after I updated the software My fan is now very loud every time I use my computer, and gets hot. Also the battery dies within a hour or two. My diagnostics report came up with no problems, restarting my SMC didn't seem to help and my cpu % is normal other then a item that keeps popping up after its deleted (cpu 390%)
Katelyn Hillis - Contestar
This post is absolutely useless information- basically the same as Apple would provide in its quest for planned obsolescence.
EastCoastCanMan - Contestar
My MacBook air shuts down automatically every one minute, what can I do to rectify it?
Alex - Contestar
I kept my MacBook Air in sleep mood instead of shutting down,but now it is not starting on , I tried many things by watching YouTube videos but anything does not work plzzzzz any one help me
Navaneeth naik - Contestar
Slash key entering irself
Seby Joseph - Contestar
Slash key entering itself, how to
Seby Joseph - Contestar
I was trying to do a password reset but unable to …..on the spin for quite sometime. How do I escape off of this page
theaasens - Contestar
My 2012 13” Air simply will not power up. Nothing happens at all.. it seems to charge. The light on the MagSafe behaves normally. Does anyone have trouble shooting suggestions? I would like to fix it but don’t want to spend money on a part that is good.
Cameron Hilton - Contestar
my mac book air screen is stuck with half white screen half blue and purple strips any ideas?
ilona Weekley - Contestar
My 2011 MacBook Air 13 inch won’t turn on properly anymore. I ended up getting a grey boxed screen that said my computer encountered some issue and it automatically rebooted itself. However now it won’t work at all, it just turns on to a bright white screen with the apple logo and that’s it. Why?
Lalita - Contestar
My macbook air has display problem .. it has colord lines all over. It has hapend before but it got fixed itself after 1 month by not doing anything . But this time it is not .
shan.innocentdevil - Contestar
MacBook Air. When I turn the power on. I see my name on the screen and ask for password. I typed the password and it won’t accept. I may have accidentally press the cap lock and shift button either way. Just wont work. How do I get in the computer?
Chuck Borchers - Contestar
My MacBook air still working but the screen is black need help how to update the screen thank you
panya matsil - Contestar
macbook air won’t shut down, is running hot and hissing. Battery is showing 97%.
How do I power it down?
Virginia Traverse - Contestar
MacBook Air want load after upgrade to 10.5 Catalina OS. Not able to use recovery options all I have is Apple LOGO display.
mdavidson602 - Contestar
web page not centered in monitor…. off to the right side, unable to view information
Mark Herter - Contestar
My Mac air has a constant flash question Mark how do I fix this?? Need help urgently please
llovell57 - Contestar
I am in messenger and composing a message …. computer freezes. I am unable to do anything. My battery shows a 100% charge.
Any suggestions??
lefsa48 - Contestar
When plugged in charger light is green… I assume the battery is charged. Screen will not turn on. Any short keys that I need to press???? Just trying to turn on the Mac book air
Lawrence Dahilig - Contestar
I can’t access Google Chrome or my gmail. It keeps telling me to check network & I can’t figure it out
BarbOBooks@gmail.com - Contestar
My Macbook air, mid 2011, system 10.7.5, (I know, OLD!!) gives me the following error message when I try to log on to some websites (not all)
“A private connection to operamrhein.de can't be established because your computer's date and time (Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 10:52:27 AM) are incorrect.”
However my clock is correct, and I cannot find a solution to this problem. Any advice?
Patrick D'Arcy - Contestar
MacBook Air will not accept password, how to reset password problems?
Wendell Osorno - Contestar
Unable to login into MacBook Air 2020 with password & unable to reset password.
Wendell Osorno - Contestar
my mack book Air going off mode during working . charging the laptop but unable to make it On , Why
BINUD KUMAR SAIKIA - Contestar
How do I remove a remote monitoring system off my Mac air? I tried erasing the drive back to factory and reinstall the os but the monitoring is still there and I can't get pass the login that was left on there.
Lanear Nocella - Contestar
My MacBook air suddenly stopped working… does not switch on
Anele Ndyambo - Contestar
How do I fix this?
Sometimes when I try to go to a web site I get this message and it is happening more and more frequently.
Your connection is not private
Attackers might be trying to steal your information from declutteringyourlife.com (for example, passwords, messages, or credit cards). Learn more
NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID
Tim and Denise Martindale - Contestar
My macbook air won't turn on and continuously displays a flashing question mark.
How do I fix th problem
margz1970jikjik - Contestar
Can’t find my apple ID
Diane Ehling - Contestar
Can’t send info to sender
JD johnson - Contestar
My air went off without any faulty but I was once receiving storage almost full am guessing if that the point…and my charger cable also loose but when I switch on the machine still remains dark.
REGIFIT - Contestar
Help pls, my 2014 MacBook Air suddenly won’t charge or turn on. After I shut it down despite trying the smc reset, disconnecting and connecting the battery and tried the smc reset but it wouldn’t budge. Tested the charger and it’s working fine but will not show any light indication when connected to my laptop and would not turn on as well.
Olivia Ngrim - Contestar
My MacBook Air will not accept my password and I cannot get beyond the sign up screen. This seems to occurred when I updated to IOS10.15.7???
Kathy Haug - Contestar
How do I restart my MacBook, there is a round ball rotating around the screen as the curser since yesterday. How do I get it off
Dennis Opare - Contestar
At sign in problems. Login has a red sentence at bottom. There was a error connecting to the Apple ID server
Brenda Hudson - Contestar
Laptop shuts off and back on by itself continuously.
Gerardo Cruz - Contestar
Screen is black w active arrow!
Can’t change it
David - Contestar
MacBook Air used up space for apps. Why can’t I turn it on now?
Kari - Contestar
Macbook air şarj etmiyor
Ömer Seyfi Salur - Contestar
I have a black screen stating “No bootable device—insert boot disk and press any key” - - -
I do not have said “boot disk” where can I get one?
Charlie Chappell - Contestar
My MacBook Air requested to do secuirty update - now stuck on the question - enter password to unlock the disk “mackintosh hd” when I enter password starts to open and shuts down
Bozobigtop - Contestar